Inclusivity
The Netherlands has a long-standing reputation as one of the most progressive and tolerant study locations in the world and it was the first country to legalise same-sex marriage.
Utrecht University wants to make a visible contribution to an inclusive university community, to a just society, and to equal rights and equal opportunities for all. Utrecht University has a large LGBTIQ+ community where everyone can feel at home, with opportunities for everyone, and with space for new forms of thinking, learning and working.
Studying with a disability
Are you an incoming exchange student with a disability? Then this page is for you. By disability we are referring not only to a physical disability but also dyslexia, a chronic illness or another condition which hinders you in your studies and for which you have facilities/adjustments in place at your home university. We would like to encourage ALL students to partake in an exchange and we can help you in the process.
You can follow the application procedure same as other students but we have put together some additional information for you here. Also see the links below.
Choice of University
In order to determine whether Utrecht University is the right university for you in terms of your disability, you or your supervisor can always contact the International Office. If you have a disability such as a visual impairment or you use a wheelchair, then we recommend that you make inquiries as early as possible and perhaps even schedule a preparatory meeting if you wish. It is possible that not all courses are accessible depending on the facilities needed. So do reach out to us if you are not sure that we can meet your needs.
Housing
In the short stay Reserved Accommodation Programme there is a single wheelchair-adapted studio available for exchange students. Please reach out to us at disability@uu.nl if you require accessible accommodation. Please note that we cannot guarantee accessible housing.
Disclosure
Once you have decided that UU is for you, you may consider further disclosing your situation. In order to be of assistance we recommend that you contact the International Office or to disclose your disability as part of the exchange application in the Osiris online application. There is a question included on your health situation where you have the option of informing us about your disability. Please note that any information you provide will not affect your admission in any way. Disclosing is by no means obligatory but if you wish to apply for special assistance or adjustments then we recommend that you use this option. If and to whom you choose to disclose is your own choice. The international officer at the receiving faculty has access to your form but we will never share the information provided with others without your consent.
Facilities
In order to apply for facilities or adjustments it may help that you can prove that you are also entitled to these at your home university. It may help you to request a letter from your counsellor or International Office specifying the type of help you receive at home. The next step for us is then to see if the receiving UU faculty can match that support. Although we always aim to offer the best support, the type of support (for instance assisting software) may vary from your home university.